Housekeeping, Obits — May 3, 2015 at 6:08 pm

Slicing Up Eyeballs, 2009-2015: It’s the end of the world as we know it (and I feel fine)

Slicing Up Eyeballs

The cassettes used in the original header/logo design, as they’ve sat since the site launched.

On Feb. 20, 2009, Slicing Up Eyeballs launched onto the web not with a bang but a whimper, debuting with a simple 91-word declaration and a headline cribbed from an R.E.M. song that Google Analytics now tells me was not viewed by a single person that day (which seems a bit off, since I’m fairly certain I looked at it at least once myself).

The following day, thanks to posts about Sonic Youth, The Godfathers, Depeche Mode and The Replacements, the site claimed a whopping 12 unique pageviews. And we were off.

In the intervening six years, this site has become more than I ever expected, a news source devoted to following and celebrating the ’80s college rock and alternative bands that so many of us still cherish, attracting an audience that I still have trouble grasping — accumulating, over that time, 13 million pageviews from 4.3 million different people in 228 countries around the planet.

This is Slicing Up Eyeballs’ 4,587th post. It’s also the last.

I’ve spent months laboring over this decision; in fact, this very post was created, according to WordPress, on Nov. 9 of last year. I revisited it a few times, but kept talking myself out of pulling the plug, most notably in December, when I decided to redouble my efforts to keep this site going.

But I was just delaying the inevitable. Over the past year, I both found less and less time to devote to this — as regular visitors no doubt will have noticed through the fall-off, first gradual then precipitous, in posting frequency — and have grappled with growing burnout.

Maintaining a music-news site, even a niche one like this, means putting in an inordinate amount of time on the Internet hamster wheel, either feeding the beast with new news that often will be straight-up copied-and-pasted or, at best, lightly regurgitated by other sites (with a link-back if you’re lucky), or churning out the very same album/tour/reunion news that so many other sites already have or will.

Certainly, there’s room for originality and creativity, and I took great pleasure when there was news to share about lesser-known acts like Game Theory, Eleventh Dream Day, Orange Juice or Redd Kross. But it was also clear that people were far more interested in — or, rather, far more people were interested in — reading about The Smiths, New Order, The Cure, Siouxsie and the Banshees, Depeche Mode, et al.

None of this is particularly good nor bad; it’s simply how these things work, and, after six-plus years, it’s time to get off the aforementioned hamster wheel. This site started, quite deliberately, as a one-person operation, and despite many generous offers to help from other writers over the years, and even bids to purchase the site in part or outright, it’s going to end that way.

But the important thing here — the most important thing — is that I stop to thank you, the readers of Slicing Up Eyeballs. I started this site because I figured that if I still liked this music, there probably were others out there, too, who would enjoy reading about these bands. I never imagined there would be so many of you. So thank you for reading, for sharing, for listening, for participating — for everything.

You’re the only reason this site lasted as long as it did. Because people cared.

With that in mind, because there is a community out there, I am going to maintain the Slicing Up Eyeballs presence on Facebook and Twitter. While I won’t be posting here any longer, there is still so much out there to share, celebrate and comment on via social media, where so many of you already are.

And, of course, as we’ve all seen so many times, few break-ups are forever anymore. So I will rule nothing out for the future of Slicing Up Eyeballs — certainly an onstage reunion by Messrs. Morrissey and Marr would obligate me to fire this rickety old beast back up again. Until then, my friends.

— Matt Sebastian, retired music blogger

 

P.S. Yes, this means there’ll be no Best Songs of ’82 poll. Sorry.

366 Comments

  1. 500 Words

    Having been in your position, running a music site for 13 years before taking a break, I know exactly how you feel. You might find yourself pining to return – as I currently am – and if you do, I’ll be here to read your posts and participate in your polls. Thanks so much for all of your hard work!

  2. Thank you.

  3. John Chrissos

    Thanks for your efforts, Matt! It was excellent work, all of it!

  4. Joe Mason

    Sad to read this but understand completely. You’ve provided great information and allowed me to flash-back to those great years of college rock. Best wishes and thanks again for all the hard work.

  5. Well……shit.
    I have enjoyed sharing your wit and wisdom…..
    Will you contunue to host Dark Wave?

  6. I will definitely miss this! Thank you for doing it in the first place! Good luck and we will still be here!

  7. Kenneth Olsen

    All great things must eventually come to an end. At least it is on a very HIGH note. Thanks for all of the tireless dedication and support you have given us through the years! Just please please please… keep up the brilliant work with “Dark Wave” on SiriusXM until the end of time ;)

  8. Thank you for all of your hard work!

  9. WOW! Sad news about the site, but I understand completely. Good luck & thanks for many wonderful years of enjoyment w/this site.

  10. A good run. Thanks for your efforts.

    I should have SASE’d for a sticker.

  11. Kai Bau-Madsen

    Sad to hear it, but thx for all your effort and work.

  12. I only just found out about your website. So sad that my timing is so terrible, but am glad to have had this bit of time together! Thanks for the good reads.

  13. “Thank you” seems inadequate, but it’s all I’ve got. Thank you.

  14. Thanks for everything!! Much appreciated the walks down memory lane

  15. Limeygit

    Good for you mate.
    You’ve gone above and beyond for 6 years in not only reporting on the artists but supporting stations/DJ’s that play the genres.
    I for one truly appreciate it and have enjoyed (and indeed reposted) many of your articles and I wish you all the best with your radio show and future endeavours.
    Cheers Matt from me and I will dare to say everyone at Flashback Alternatives as well.

  16. PS, hopefully you’ll continue on with Dark Wave.

  17. Tyler Williams

    Thank you for all the hard work, energy, and passion you put into your music blog. I have enjoyed your posts, and wish you the best in your future endeavors.

  18. Thank you for all efforts and time spent with that website. I love the music and the niche of our music tastes. It was wonderful while it lasted. Wish you the best in the future. And I really hope you keep up the dark wave show.

  19. Ian Daye

    This site has been amazing over the years. I will continue to show off the bumper sticker with pride. In fact, I still have a second one that will go on my next car too.

    All the best with your future endeavors. Will the site remain as it is for a while, or are you pulling down all the content as well?

  20. Thank you so much for the great stories and brilliant work. All the best for your next adventure

  21. Thanks Matt!!! Great to see so many people are still passionate about this era of music and your efforts in bringing these people together to your site was terrific!! God speed!!!

  22. scott boyken

    Thank you for everything. The site will be missed.

  23. Sad news, indeed, but understandable…Thanks for providing an interesting little island in the internet sea for our ilk to rest at ….

  24. Thank you Matt for all you’ve done and thank you for supporting The Church! All the best, Lloyd

  25. Thank you matt, people who give a shit are very rare. come back someday, we’ll all be here.

  26. johnbrowne

    thank you it was great thank you

  27. Karin K.

    Having been a fan for many years, I’ll definitely miss the website but definitely understand. I will continue to follow via FB & wish you well. Thank you for all of the hard work, dedication, and love of the music that means so much to me…and countless others.

  28. You will be missed! Hoping the archives will stay here as I do like to return them from time to time! Good Luck to you.

  29. Thanks for all the great stuff over the years – long-time lurker, first-time commenter. Your site will be missed! I plan on starting at the beginning and making my way back up to this one.

  30. Russell in Los Angeles

    Thanks for championing Game Theory, one of the most underappreciated bands of all time.

  31. Thanks for all the hard work. Loved this site.

  32. MuzzikLvr

    Sorry to see you go. Where did the “Slicing Up Eyeballs” name come from?

  33. Thank you for all of your efforts. I enjoyed your site very, very much!

  34. Having maintained a music site myself, which burnt me out after only three years, I completely understand this. Thanks for all the memories, and for your fine work.

  35. Thanks for your efforts.

  36. Gonzalo Comas

    Thanks from Argentina. I will make a good Spotify playlist of songs by Argentinian artists that reflect the sounds of this era.

  37. AlteredDNA

    This is the only this worth anything on the entire internet. Please reconsider, I’m begging you.

  38. Sad news! This site is great. But best of luck in your next endeavor, and thank you for your years of posting.

  39. Miroslav

    Thanks for all your work!

  40. Thanks for the work. Bloggin ain’t easy. Neither is rocking. You did both the duty and respect they deserve.
    Appreciate the memories.
    “Don’t know about you
    But I am un chien andalusia”

    hugs+high fives
    pf

  41. Thanks! :) Glad you’ll still be on Facebook…

  42. Thank you!

  43. april81972

    Sad day. Thanks for all you’ve done. Truly an amazing site.

  44. Thank you!

  45. I’m at a loss here. This site along with the NY Times is probably the only one that I check daily. Not sure how I am going to survive without you. You are leaving a huge void for all that love the sounds that you do. Thanks for all of the years!

  46. Sad this is ending I totally agree with your quote “Game Theory, Eleventh Dream Day, Orange Juice or Redd Kross”. Just not enough going on with the main alternative bands you mentioned consistently. As the years go by I keep delving deeper into music, it’s endless, I hope you keep doing that also.

  47. Thank you so much. What a brilliant forum you created.

  48. In the words of the great John Winger, “You can’t go, all the plants are gonna die.”

    Thanks for all the hard work Matt. It will be missed.

  49. Daniel Greer

    Matt, thank you for everything that you have put into this site. From the first time I saw the stack of cassette spines at the top of the page, I knew I was in the right place. The site was a home to a sensibility and a monument to musical creativity. Again, thanks so much. Onward!

  50. Thanks Matt for all your hard work. Please don’t stop hosting Dark Wave

  51. Thanks, man. I came a little late to your party, but I enjoyed it quite a bit.
    Godspeed to you, sir.

  52. So sad … look forward to Facebook with you!

  53. Robert H

    Thanks for running such an excellent blog for so long. Hope you think about running an occasional special, every once in a while.

  54. As one retired music blogger to another, I feel you. Yours is one of the few blogs I’ve continued to follow after my own abdication. I’ll just keep my fingers crossed for that Morrissey-Marr reconciliation.

  55. Bill McGonnigle

    Thanks for all you did. I really enjoyed the page. I am sorry to see it end.

  56. Oh this makes me sad. Slicing Up Eyeballs is a fantastic site. It keeps me up to date with everything happening with my favorite groups, and always informed me about interesting things / releases from bands I don’t follow as closely (but still have great interest in). You have done a spectacular job. I never realized it was a one-man operation. Simply amazing. Thank You.

  57. Job well done. You made a difference in my little world, thank you. Rock on!

  58. I’m a fairly recent reader of your site just the past few years and it’s unfortunate but understandable that you were stopping posting on the site. Will there be any opportunity to download archives of articles if so let me know or let us know rather.. ;) Good luck with your future endeavors

  59. Thank you. Be good.

  60. Craig Drinnan

    Yeah Morrisey was a quitter too. Thanks anyway.

  61. Cheers Matt, really enjoyed everything you’ve done. Glad you will still be around a bit!

  62. Matt- thanks for the years of entertainment, and information! my wife and I were just discussing websites in general, how many of them mindlessly just copy and paste everything from another site, and how althought SUE sometimes would do that, quite often you had some great insights to go along with it, and usually had the links to the other sites. I had noticed, over the last 6 months, that posts were less… enthusiastic at times, and after the “high” of the year and decade polls, you probably had a bit of a comedown. many of my friends will also be sad to see the site go, even if we mostly just checked and got notifications thru facebook, instead of going to the website!

    now i really wish i’d ordered a bumper sticker… just one of those things you never get around to doing until it’s too late!

    i hope you have a great breather, and maybe come back to discuss music on a special occasion sort of thing.

    thanks again for all the hard work, and the awesomeness!

    Jeremy True

  63. A design for life…
    Well done. You’ll be missed.

  64. Thx much :-)

  65. Thanks for all your efforts – quite enjoyed reading your blog through the years. All the best on your next endeavor.

  66. Katherine Mathews

    Thank you, sad you’re ending this…partly because I’ve just discovered it. Wish you well.

  67. Kathy Berenson

    THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
    Sincerely,
    Kathy

  68. I’ve often thought of starting my own 80s/90s music blog but then I’d think of your site and realize, why bother? You do it better than I could ever hope to. Thanks for all the energy and time you put into keeping such a wonderful time alive for the rest of us.

  69. Thank you Matt!!!

  70. Thank you for your hard work and dedication to great music! The “Best of 19–” lists were awesome!

  71. Will miss enjoying your efforts. As a broadcasting/ communications major in college (mid 80’s) feel a connection w/your site. Awesome time to be in the medium college radio. Thanks for keeping what was good, alive and well spoken for. Will keep hanging on over at fb, and maybe see a new day rising for the wbsite.

  72. I understand but I will miss it dearly. :(

  73. So very sad you are not going to keep this site going – it’s been one of my faves for years! Have you considered having guests posts or regular contributors for the site, to give you a break from the action? Thank you so very much for keeping classic alternative alive on the internet! I wish you the best and as always, I will be listening to you on Dark Wave tonight! Rock on, Matt! <3

  74. sorry to hear your finishing off after years of great writing,our little site http://www.xsnoize.com is underway and hopefully may help to fill some of the void your leaving

  75. Incredibly sorry and saddened to see this site go. I loved checking this site out for music news on my favorite alternative bands of the 1980s. Will miss this site very much.

  76. I’ll miss this site immensely! You did a great job with it, Matt. Hope your next endeavor is just as stellar. Thanks for everything!

  77. aw! thanks so much for all the work you’ve put in – a lot of ‘oh yes i remember that!’ from John Peel days – good luck with the future

  78. One final video? Anything, how about some closure for those who posted, those who lurked, and those who read.

  79. Thanks so much for all the great content over the years Matt! Fantastic work. And I hope, hope, hope you’ll still be hosting Dark Wave.

  80. Thanks Matt!

  81. Thanks for all the good times, Matt. It has always been something good to look forward to and we will continue to look on with you through facebook and twitter. Of course all of us with fingers crossed behind our backs for a Morrissey/Marr reunion. ;)

  82. *cues up ‘Atmosphere’*

    So much thanks to you, Matt. Finding someone else who was just as ridiculously obsessive as I was about the college rock years was indeed rare when I first found the site. Now I find there’s a lot more of us out there than I thought.

    See you on the flipside. ;)

  83. Thank you for everything, you will be missed. There is a light that never goes out…

  84. Just Andrew

    strong work you’ve done here. Whenever I’d see a FB post with a new article I new it was relevant to my interests and you kept me in touch with several tours and reissues I wouldn’t have otherwise known about. Thanks and good luck!

  85. Thanks Matt for your devotion to this time in our lives… the mix tapes still get cranked on a regular basis!
    fingers crossed that this is not the last we hear from you

  86. Came late to the party (past year) but enjoyed the blog. Thanks for all your hard work.

  87. Stephanie

    Thank you, Matt — for everything Slicing Up Eyeballs. ‘I Know It’s Over’. See you on Facebook!

  88. Scott Archer

    Thanks for a great website Matt.

    I have been following it for a few years from New Zealand.

    I will keep checking the facebook link!.

  89. What a drag!!!!! Thank you…it’s been a lot of fun.

  90. Thanks for your work on this site. I’ve enjoyed coming here. Will you be the one providing the content on facebook or will others?

  91. Silvio Lopes

    Thanks for all awesome work thar you did. Hugs from Brazil.

  92. Silvio Lopes

    Thanks for all awesome work that you did. Hugs from Brazil.

  93. Thank you for all the hard work!
    It was very appreciated.
    You will be missed.

  94. It’s nice to see how many people really love this website. I’ve always looked forward to the posts in a dreary work week. I’ve got to see and hear many things I wouldn’t have found on my own. One of my personal favorites was the Icehouse concert. Will certainly miss this site, but thank you for brightening up countless weeks!!! Cheers, John

  95. Love this site! See ya on facebook!

  96. A very heartfelt thank you for everything over the years. Best wishes in all your future endeavors and adventures!

  97. I’m so sorry to see the site go, but will continue to watch out for you on Facebook. Thanks for sharing your great writing and keeping my memories alive!

  98. Bob Sopko

    Thanks for the memories! This was one on my daily visited sites. Completely understand the decision.

  99. Trent Buckroyd

    Nice job. Sad to see you go. Good luck in whatever you choose to do next!

  100. Sad to see the end but understand how these things take over your life. It was amazing while it lasted.

  101. Thank you! From Texas! This was a great site. Will keep following on FB. Take a break and we’ll be here when you come back.

  102. Thanks for all your hard work and great writing over the past years. Your website was always a pleasure to read. Good luck with all your future plans.

  103. Mike McCann

    Matt – I could say so much, but will limit it to THANK YOU. Have enjoyed the site for years and will look forward to every FB post. As you can tell from my email address, the bands you loved to cover (and DM in particular) will always matter to me. Cheers!

  104. John McDonagh

    You had one of the best music blogs on the net… you were high on integrity and that carries over into your announcement today! Just know that you made a difference to this music fan! Cheers!

  105. Jim McCabe

    Thank you for all you did, sir. I won the Primal Scream “Psychelica” contest a few years ago. I shall dig it out and watch/listen again.
    Hanx!

  106. Thanks for everything. I’ll probably still check the site twice a day out of habit.

  107. Cheers to you for creating and maintaining one of the most consistently well-written and passionate sites on the web. Here’s hoping this isn’t really the end, simply a well-earned break. Thank you.

  108. “But the important thing here — the most important thing — is that I stop to thank you, the readers”
    No Matt, All Thanks Go To You!
    A great site and never a waste of time (Nick now kicks himself for harassing Matt to get the Best Singles of 1981 posted).

    “Your time has come your second skin
    The cost so high the gain so low
    Walk through the valley
    The written word is a lie

    May the road rise with you
    May the road rise with you
    May the road rise with you
    May the road rise with you”

  109. I so loved slicing up eyeballs. Will always have a soft place in my nucleus.

  110. Siouxsiescure

    Matt although I do not have a ‘known’ presence as a person who frequently posted I have followed you from the very beginning and I think the first time I realised how big you were was thru the chain of flowers cure fan site from Craig parker….I loved your work…all of it esp as it pertained to my two faces Siouxsie and The Cure….your hard work is appreciated and we do understand the reasons why…after all there is life aside from music…even when music is your life….your swan song is playing….its a mix of tears for fears, xtc, and nin…lol…teary.

  111. Siouxsiescure

    By the way..the fax won’t be the only one stopping by twice a day out of habit.

  112. Matt.

    YOU. DID. AN. AMAZING. JOB!

    You and the website will be sorely missed. Take care my unknown friend and keep loving the bands that made you cry and the bands that saved your life!

    Trey

  113. Scott E. Miller

    Thank you Matt, Eyeballs rocked. I owe you a beer.

  114. Mike Adamson

    Thanks!

  115. One of the brightest guiding lights of The Movement goes dim. You will be missed, but we understand. Best of luck, and thank you.

  116. Noooooo! “Give Me Back My Man”! Matt THANK YOU so much for sharing your unabashed love of 80s college rock with all of us! It has been a pleasure my friend, and this site will be sorely missed. I especially loved your mix tapes and playlists. And the 120 minutes clips were always a hoot. I’ll be watching for your FB posts and will continue to follow you on Spotify, just in case, ya know, you get the itch to throw down a playlist once in a while ;-) All the best!

  117. 120seconds

    Well that does it…calling in sick tomorrow. Bereavement defined. Thank you for creating and running my favorite site of all time. Where will I go now?

  118. thanks for all your hard work and dedication. You will be missed. :)

  119. Matt, thanks for taking the time over the years being a source of information for many bands that have become a huge part of all our lives.

    I stumbled upon this site by accident a few years ago, and it’s one of the best random finds I’ve come across. Wishing you the best of luck going forward. Cheers.

  120. 10000 Marbles

    Thank you, Matt. I’ll miss you, no doubt, but I understand.

  121. Thank you.

  122. Thanks for everything. This is (was) a great site, and I appreciate all of your hard work. Good luck to you.

    Bill B.

  123. Thanks for your work!

  124. I just wanted to thank you for all of your efforts. This is my music, but you forgot to mention that you also introduced younger readers to 80’s music in ways the radio can’t. I hope your success with this site opened more doors for you in other areas. Best wishes to you.

  125. What a great, great blog you maintained. Thanks for all the wonderful work, and I hope that it stays around forever for future generations to read.

  126. Thank you, thank you, thank you! I enjoyed this site immensely!

  127. Thank you Matt… hope to see you bloggin again some day

  128. Nick Wilhelmy

    Thanks, Matt. It was a great run.

  129. K C Nottingham

    Thank you Matt. Whilst I am sorry you are no longer ‘active’ I felt tne need to say thank you for your efforts.

    Much appreciated and good luck for the future….x

  130. From one musicfan to another, thank you – it was a real pleasure. Hope to see you again.

  131. Thanks and best wishes..

  132. Thank for all your hard work. It was greatly appreciated, and greatly enjoyed. I hope your future endeavors are the greatest thing since auto reverse cassette players. Rock on.

  133. Thanks for the site and info. Every now and then you post something that would make me dust off something I had not played in a long time and put it on my Alt 80s/90s radio show.

  134. Thank you for all you work and dedication to the site. It will be missed!

  135. NOOOOOOOO!!!!! This really bums me out. I play bass in a Pixies tribute band, bass in a Cure tribute band and I sing in a Sisters of Mercy tribute band. This was the perfect website for the music that I love to listen to and to play. You will be missed greatly. <3

  136. Such a shame, but understandable..the music still lives and breathes ready for a new generation to appreciate it.

    Thank you for the hard work and effort to champion this. And we will be here waiting, evermore eager if you feel it is right to rekindle this site.

  137. Again, thank you. My record box will continue to wear your stickers with pride.

  138. Sean Carney

    Dear Matt- thank you so very much for your labors here. I discovered this site a mere 6 months ago and it has transported this middle aged rocker back to the broadcast booth of my college radio station more than once.

    This was a time of great musical fragmentation and creation. An age when the credibility was more important than the costume or wild haircut. Your curation and preservation efforts have been peerless and will be sorely missed.

    Hope to see you at the shows!!!

  139. Thank you for all that you have done. Shall miss this site, was one of the best out there.

  140. michelle duran

    Thanks for putting in so much time and effort. It was appreciated.

  141. Thanks to your site I finally got to see Julian Cope live (twice in six months). Without the announcements on here I would probably never have even heard about the tours.

    Not much of a eulogy I know, but I thank you anyway :)

    Great site – will be sorely missed.
    Thanks for everything Matt. Good luck for the future.

  142. A simple thank you for your efforts thus far and for all the Facebook and Twitter to come. It’s appreciated.

  143. Fernando

    thanks for all these years of great work, Matt…. It’s difficult to maintain a blog like this, without someone to help you… You can be sattisfied… You have done a great work… And we’re very happy with it… Best regards…

  144. Yeah, I curtailed my blogging at the beginning of this year for more personal reasons….but I still have my Internet radio station running.
    If that is not an option you have explored, you might want to look into it. You can do it legally and licensed starting at no more than about $60/mo (often much less) with your following you actually might be able to earn enough to defray costs-and once you get set up it is SUPER low maintenance …or as much maintenance as you wish to put into it.
    This is NOT a sales pitch. I gain nothing from this but the pleasure of your continued company, if you want, email me. This could be a way to keep this alive with minimal effort.

  145. I have visited almost daily the last 6 years because I could find the news on all the bands I truly cared about. Thanks for all you have done. It was appreciated and you will be missed. Hope you change your mind down the road. Best of luck to you and your future endeavors.

  146. Thank you so much for all the music and news. You have been a part of my daily routine for years. You will truly be missed. Thank You! Good Luck!!

  147. Sorry to see ya go, man, thanks for all you did. After almost ten years I’m gonna be right behind you in a couple months if not sooner.

  148. Wow, literally my favorite site and source, you will be missed!

  149. Thanks for your hard work and dedication. I got hooked the first time I stumbled upon the site and was overjoyed when I won a DM remix CD shortly after.

    Good luck on your future endeavors.

  150. Thanks for your years of hard work. Yours was the first news I heard about some very meaningful stuff to my musically centered world. And I always enjoyed the community here. Thanks for carving out a place for us all on the web.
    Best to you in whatever you pursue in the future.

  151. Larry Mac

    Thanks for all the hard work and posts.

  152. Thanks man. Best of luck to you.

  153. Rodney Sochocki

    Thank you Matt for your hard work and all the great information you provided over the years. You created a wonderful site. Good luck going forward with everything you do.

  154. Thanks for the site. The cassette picture up top always made me giddy…instant teleportation back to ~ ’88.

  155. El Arreglardo

    Bummer. My favorite site on the web. Thanks for the memories.

  156. Thank you for the great site. Wishing you the best that the future holds.

  157. Sorry to see you go, no one covers this particular niche as well as you do. Hope you’ll at least keep reposting some of your sources on FB.

  158. Thank you very much for all the time, effort and dedication you gave to all of us through your work on this Site. What I’ve found most impressive is your ability to include coverage for many bands and not let this turn in to something for a particular group or chosen few.

    We all like The Cure, Smiths, DM, etc., but there were plenty of other bands in the 80’s people loved and still do. Your inclusion of lessor known or what I’ll call “all others” is commendable and it is what makes SUE a place where there is something for everyone.

    Again, thank you for all the work you’ve done over the years. Best wishes.

  159. Sam Owen

    Thanks, farewell, Morrissey sucks, and Peter Hook is a close approximation of god.

  160. Matt thanks for your generosity. I’ve really appreciated your incredible devotion to all things ’80s College Rock – a true labor of love if there ever was one. So glad you’ll keep up the socials!

  161. María Laura Sperduto

    Really sad to read that you’re closing down the site. Thank you for everything and best of luck!

  162. An enjoyable pit stop on occasion. Thanks for everything!

  163. You will be missed.

  164. Galarama

    Thanks so much for all your work over the years keeping us up to date on the goings-on of the artists that created some of the most innovative and exciting music ever.

  165. Rip it up indeed like Orange Juice would say. Thanks for everything and to hear from you soon on twitter.

  166. Ken Dannelley

    I’m sorry to see you go. Thanks for all of your hard work.

  167. Thanks Matt for all of the hard work over the years. I am one of MANY people who would check in daily for new posts. Really enjoyed the tips regarding new releases and reissues. Also appreciated your responsiveness when fielding emails. Will miss the site and wish you luck in the future. Thank you!

  168. Thank you for all the hard work, I will truly miss your blog . . . this is one of my favorite spots on the internet.

  169. chris old

    Thanks so much Matt, for all of your hard work and dedication over the last 6 years. It has been an exciting, refreshing and informative ride for myself and many others. I too, will miss the daily site checks and wonderfully written articles, researched updates and tidbits. Cheers to you, and best of luck in the Retro!

  170. My favorite website. Matt, what a great job you have done here. Thank you. It will be greatly missed.

  171. Great work… great blog… will really miss the Top ’80s polls and the great debates they created and the music they introduced me to.

    Take care and know you created something that will be missed.

  172. John P(uppy)

    Thank you for the exhaustive efforts and passion you put into this site. You gave me a venue to delve into my own little alternative world and introduced me to many even more obscure acts. Thanks so much…you and and your work will be greatly missed!! Good luck on your future endeavors.
    Will you still do the Darkwave thing?

  173. Genevieve

    Thank you. I will miss your blog very much! Our local bar even has a Slicing Up Eyeballs jukebox.

  174. I’ve enjoyed reading your blog posts and loved the surveys (I was so hoping for the 1983 survey), but I completely understand your decision. Thank you and good luck in your future endeavours!

  175. Well done Matt Sebastian, Well done!
    I personally will miss the Mixtapes the most.
    GOD Bless and so long.

  176. Christopher Wells

    This site was my coffee in the morning. You will be deeply missed. Thank You.

  177. I’m going to really miss this site. The spirit of true alternative music was the lifeblood of this site, and I hope it manifests itself again in another form. Thank you for all your work and dedication, Matt. I’ll keep the tape decks running ;)

  178. Site has ruled my bookmarks for years. I wish you the best, Matt. Thanks for an amazing experience.

  179. Reading you blog was part of my daily, morning ritual at work at the start of each day. You will be missed. Thank you for all of your hard work and effort into making this site amazing.

  180. Well, I’m a little sad, I don’t mind saying. Still, thanks for all of your work. The only place I could count on reading about anything I found interesting in music. You definitely helped me stay connected to many bands I love and loved.

    Thanks!!!

  181. Thank you *so* much for your hard work on Slicing Up Eyeballs, Matt. The site will be sorely missed.

  182. Sad news, as this has been THE go-to site for all things alternative for me and many folks I know who also continue to enjoy that era/style(s) of music. Especially with regards to synth pop bands; my favorite.
    Heartfelt thanks for the amazing work you have done on/with/for SUE.

  183. Thanks for all your work. I was thrilled when I found this site and visit it regularly. It’s likely the FB links I end up seeing first, so I’m glad you’re not totally gone. It would be great if you left the site up as an archive… Loved the mix tapes. Cheers.

  184. Thank you for everything. So many things … Most especially for your Christmas playlist in December, which I loved and needed, and it got me through a tough spot. I will miss this site very much!

  185. Oh, wow. What bittersweet news. Am sorry to see one of my very favorite sites ever call it a day, but am happy that you feel the time is right, Matt. Can’t thank you enough for all your tireless work over the years. And a very special thanks for all the concert heads-ups at SUE. You would break the news, and tix for incredible shows from the ‘Mats, Church, Furs, and others followed.

    Also want to thank the SUE faithful for all your passion, insight, and humor. Since ’09, my music collection has gained some stellar additions because of your recommendations. And I even had the pleasure of meeting up with one of you last year, thanks to an assist from Matt.

    Will continue to revisit old posts–and might finally get my behind over to Facebook, too, to not miss out on more SUE. Either way, SUE will always be near and dear. Thank you, Matt.

  186. so sorry to hear this. I only discovered this great site last year. I am not on facebook by choice (been there, done that). This site was one of my default daily sites that opened when I opened firefox. It will be sad to pull it off the list.
    Thanks for what you did to this point.

  187. Thanks Matt for all your hard work!

  188. Well shit……this is like when your favorite record store by campus finally closed.

    I will miss u SUE

    Thanks Matt !

  189. Thanks so much for everything! I’ve truly enjoyed the site and it frequently called to mind great stuff I hadn’t thought to listen to in a while.

  190. Thank you Matt! You will be missed!

  191. Sad news. Thanks for all the memories. Really great site!

  192. My heart sank when I realized where this post was going. Nothing more to say than THANK YOU MATT! Going to miss this place, thats for sure.

  193. Good night, and good luck. Thanks for everything man.

  194. feeling sad, as the blog is a path and lighthouse through music history. with all respect for your decision: many many thanks + best wishes

  195. I blame Bernard Sumner.

    Thanks for the good times, and best of luck!

  196. madcircle

    Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. You gave us daily joy with your updates and Best of…series. I will keep the app on my phone for a while, as it was my proverbial morning cup of joe. Take care!

  197. It is a dark day.

    Thank you.

  198. Thanks Matt for all your hard work. Sad to see you go but totally understand. When it is time, it’s time. I will keep an eye on the FB page. Rock on sir!

  199. Thank you. Thanks for the effort, the passion and don’t underestimate how much your hardwork was appreciated.

  200. Alastair Ross

    I’ll miss this site so much, thank you for your efforts, so many of my all time fave bands have been covered on here on a regular basis. Fantastic work!

  201. Wow!! The only site my iPhone tells me I regularly visit. Bummer!!

    DeEvolution is real!!

    Matt u will b missed

  202. anastasi

    So sad! I’m a recent reader, I wish I’d seen you sooner.

  203. enjoy your retirement from the blog. and thanks for being here.

  204. Thanks for the last six years!

  205. Scott M.

    Hey Matt, Thank you for all of your hard work, and tireless efforts to bring us Slicing Up Eyeballs over the past six years. I am so sad to see the site go, but as they say, “All Good Things Must Come To An End.” I so appreciated your coverage of some of my favorite bands. You have a lot of talent, and integrity. Keep up the excellent work in all other facets of your life.

    “Swingin’ Party”

    “Bring your own lampshade
    Somewhere there’s a party
    Here it’s never ending
    Can’t remember when it started
    Pass around the lampshade
    There’ll be plenty enough room in jail”

  206. Thanks.

  207. Thank you for the years of time and energy devoted to your sirte. I have enjoyed it more than you will ever know!

  208. Scott Stalcup

    Thanks for the years you put into this. Will miss the snarky board comments every time Mozzer attempts another tour. Already following you on Twitter. Thanks for breaking the news about the ‘Mats tour. My 29 year wait came to an end this past weekend in Milwaukee and it was beyond worth it! Thanks again!

  209. Smiler Grogan

    Thanks and farewell.

    The internet can be a depressing rabbit hole of negativity, so to see a site focused on the joy people can derive from music was refreshing, and that joy always came through in the writing.

    And I had my ’82 list ready to go…

  210. You have been such a great sourve for music for many years. Sites like these are few and far between. I hope that one day you do return!

    Thank you so much or the many years of hard work and dedication!

  211. Seems others have said it better than I can. So I’ll just add my thanks. This site meant quite a bit to a lot of people. You’ve left a great mark.

  212. Tom Fleming

    Thank you very much for everything that you have done!

  213. Fantastic Effort……Thank you.

    A Final MIXTAPE…….Now that would be how to “go out”!

  214. Love this site and sorry to see it go but I understand and respect your decision. Thank you for everything you did on this site and I wish you nothing but the best in the future!

  215. Thanks for all your work. I will miss the site. We music lovers need each other.

  216. Thank you for all your hard work. Loved the site. Loved your passion and commitment.

    All the best

  217. Thanks Matt for all the great news and features! I hope to keep hearing you on Dark Wave.

  218. Well, this sucks just a bit! That said, thanks, Matt for your seemingly tireless efforts and ability to get the goods on things many of us were either hoping to find out about OR we didn’t even know was going on. I understand why you stopped, like many others here have echoed. It was fun while it lasted. Like Black Widow said this weekend, “Nothing lasts forever.”

    Hugs, man.

    Anthony.

  219. Thanks for all of your efforts. Everybody likes the popular stuff, but I appreciate you turning me on to “new” bands from the 80’s. Makes me wish my town had played this stuff when I was in high school.

  220. Scotty P

    Matt, thanks so much for all your hard work and care taken in this posting to your site. I think I can speak for most of us, but it is we fans who thank YOU!!!!

    I can attest to your popularity that spans the entire globe…I personally have viewed your site and listened to Dark Wave (and probably sent you fan mail and song requests) from the US (San Diego, CA; Seattle, WA; Austin, TX), Brighton, U.K., Copenhagen, DK, and Stockholm, SE.

    Thanks again, and I will find you on other mediums, and will continue to listen to your wonderful show every week.

  221. Matt,

    Thanks. I have found no better comforting home or coverage of this genre. Your site has been a go-to for me for reliable news that I myself did not have the hamster-wheel capacity to do….congrats for making if happen! If worldpress tracked best intentioned blogs…. Blue abstracts would still exist.

  222. First … thank you thank you thank you …. really … for all your hard work, for your dedication, for bringing this site to life and for providing all of the news, information, details and cool contests over the last many years.

    Yes, there are probably a few hundred music sites, directly related or not, out there .. but Slicing Up Eyeballs was (is!) one of the few emails that I looked for everyday and opened everytime.
    Not all the bands/performers were of interest to me everytime, but from D.M. to Red Lorry Yellow Lorry .. I loved S.U.E. and will definitely miss it …

    Hopefully not the last time … But Thank You so much!!!

  223. Thank you for sticking with it as long as you have–it’s been a great daily read. I don’t have Sirius/XM, but I have enjoyed seeing the depth and variety you’ve chosen to play on Dark Wave.

  224. Chris Howden

    NNNNNNNNNOOOOOOOooooooooo!!!

    Thank you for your service to humanity Matt! You are the best!

  225. Well that was a small kick in the nuts today!!! In any case thank you Matt for your service. It is greatly appreciated. This was my go to site for music news. I will wander over to Facebook, nonetheless I’m kinda old-fashioned. I like plain old websites instead of the Megasaurus that Facebook is. In any case, hope the spare time will do you good. Thanx for keeping us in the know for the last several years!! x

  226. Thank you for the joy this site has given me over the years. Wishing you all the best and appreciative of all your hard work. Best to You!!

  227. puddin head wilson

    thanks dude. love it while it lasted and passed it on to many friends.

  228. All the best from across the water in England, and thanks for all your efforts.
    Huge respect for what you’ve achieved, and your decision to call it a day.
    Put your feet up, open a beer, and put a record on and can can reflect on a job really well done.
    Maybe when the batteries are recharged you’ll find a new project to throw yourself into.

  229. So sad. This webpage was amongst the few regular sites i visited every day to see if there was any good links to out-of-print concert footage etc. REally enjoyed the polls, too. Good luck in the future whatever you may do…

  230. Now where will we get our TRIUMPH news?

    Seriously, this has been excellent site, always knowledgeable and professionally written. I will miss it.

  231. Wow, it is the end of the world as we know it. I loved this site and checking the posts everyday. The top 100 songs and top 100 albums of the years were really cool. I learned so much from your site and your passion for the Alternative underground. Thank you Matt Sebastian, I wish you the best of luck.

  232. Kevin deeley

    Thank you for all your hard work and selflessness…much appreciated over here.

    Kevin, London.

  233. A big thank you, Matt. Really loved everything. Take care,
    Marty

  234. Thank you for your great website. It’s been a pleasure visiting it.

  235. Chronic Mumblings

    Thanks for everything. I’ll miss your posts a lot – and especially the lack of 1982-1990 best of Spotify lists.

    I’ve been finding some very cool new old stuff through your efforts.

  236. Aw, I’m sorry to hear you’ve made this decision. You’ve run an amazing site, and I’m glad for your contribution to the web, and I wish you the best!

  237. bassnote

    Thank you, Matt. We have been blessed by a kindred spirit in you, and we appreciate all the hard work you have put in over the years.

  238. It’s been brilliant. Thank you for every post!

  239. Thanks for this. It’s been a great ride.

  240. Thanks so much for your blog. Good luck with everything!

  241. Aussiegyg

    Thanks very much. Looking forward to the reunion.

  242. Even the 80s and its music eventually had to come to an end. we’re all sad about that, but thankful for your efforts to remember and celebrate the best parts of our lives.

  243. Thank you for keeping this amazing blog as long as you did (I had a music blog once and barely lasted two years, it is indeed a grind). For what it’s worth, it was exactly your wide-angle coverage of college rock that made your blog so great — there’s information on the Cure and Depeche Mode everywhere, but having a single blog that I could trust to keep me updated about anything from the Church to Paul Weller to the Smithereens was wonderful.

    Personally, I’m going to keep your blog in my RSS reader, *just in case*. As someone else said, you might find yourself pining to write a bit more some day, and if so you’ll have at least one person reading!

  244. Fabien G

    Shame! Good luck with your forthcoming projects.

  245. Many thanks and much respect. Hope you kick ass in your next adventure!

  246. Thanks for the great website and best wishes to you in your future!

  247. Matt, I thank you very much for the years and great content on the web with Slicing Up Eyeballs. I totally understand where you’re coming from, having experienced similar feelings before shutting down sites I published some years back. You’re terrific, and I’ll be following on Twitter and Facebook.

  248. You had me hooked me from the start – my favourite line from my favourite song by my favourite band. Thank you Matt, for all your time, effort, research and love of ’80s indie music. Hugely appreciated from Australia. And good luck with whatever is next. xx

  249. Thanks a lot for all the effort. I wish you the best.

  250. sonic spectrum radio

    A wonderful resource. Thank you.

  251. brilliant_trees

    I will miss frequenting the site. Cocteau Twins shall be played in remembrance of this very special musical era.

    Kindest Regards.

  252. Farewell SUE, you will be missed. SUE has been such a valuable source in keeping me updated on the alternative music scene. Thank you for all of your hard work, it is very much appreciated. Take care and wishing you the best. LLAP.

  253. HRH Mortimer

    Thank you so much for everything you have done here, I was a quiet but regular reader and I will certainly miss all your posts.

  254. Thanks for all your efforts. You’ll be missed.

  255. DemiCercle

    So long then… And thanks for all.

  256. Thanks and best wishes!

  257. Chris Howden

    It boggles the mind that the “industry” can’t manage to produce a resource that is anywhere near the quality of this site.

  258. Jonathan Andrews

    Thanks for all the work you have done. I will miss this site! Best wishes to you.

  259. I must say that it has been a pleasure being able to come to one site and get the latest relevant news on my old college rock bands. THANK YOU for the years of hard work and the enjoyment I got from learning of new music and new tours!!!!…. Listen to the silence, let it ring on!!!!!

  260. Thank you for your efforts with this site over the years. I have enjoyed so many of your posts. I will miss being able to dip into your site to see the latest news and release information on many of my favourite artists.

    All the best for the future.

  261. Goddammit Matt, how utterly selfish and presumptuous of you to put your personal life ahead of others’ entertainment, education, and in my case – wracking my really stupid brains for something new to say about the song I’ve played 500 times – convenience. Your site has been, by a country kilometre, the muthaload of classic alternative, or whatever we call our music now. Thank you so much for all the hard work, and glad you’re still Darkening the Wave of a Sunday evening.

  262. I loved your site, checked it everyday. Many thanks for your hard work and effort in support of this great music.

  263. I will miss this site. I don’t even pretend to remember how I came across it, but I knew when I the banner of cassette tapes that I would love it. I don’t know if you arranged those for the pix, but somehow you managed to capture five — FIVE — of my all-time favorite albums in one shot! I really enjoyed the voting and the comments on the best of the 80s polls last year. Again, four Cure records? I blame the voters!!! And as someone else mentioned earlier, thanks for breaking the Replacements reunion (saw them at the palladium in Hollywood last month. Was like being in high school all over). Thanks again for all the hard and good work. If you have anyone’s ear at XM Radio, please tell them to lose Richard Blade. He ruined KROQ and now he is ruining my satellite radio on a daily basis. But I digress. Thanks man. And if you’re curious, the five albums as as follows:
    1. Stone Roses – best album that will ever be!!!
    2. Love and Rockets – Express
    3. Replacements – Don’t Tell a Soul
    4. Jane’s Addiction — XXX (hard to believe how cool these guys were and how F__n’ lame they are now (except Eric).
    5. The Jesus and Mary Chain — Barbed Wire Kisses. Love everything by them, but that album was a true fan’s delight!

    If a song was playing right now, it would Syd Vicious’s “My Way” — the ultimate song to go out on.

  264. and I’d just like to add, thanks.

  265. Thanks so much for your efforts over the years. A brilliant site, which I visited almost every day.

  266. Ben Vendetta

    Thank you for everything! Good luck in your new endeavors.

  267. Sad news. I have learned a lot from you. God Bless you!!

  268. Sincere thanks for a website that kept me informed, rekindled memories and really showed why I will always love this music!

  269. Thank you for everything, Matt. ❤️

  270. Just ” Thank You “

  271. Matt, thanks for providing us with a wonderful site to relive the glorius music and vibe of the 80’s. After I found this site a few years ago it was a daily read for me. It was also great to find out that so many others enjoyed the type of music that I still love listening to 30+ years later. All the best in the future.

  272. Thanks Matt! This was one site I checked daily. You seemed to get my musical tastes and covered an era in music, that doesn’t get much press these days. Sad to see it, fold. I really appreciate all you’ve done on the site over the years. I’ve been a follower now for several of them! Let us know if you recommend any other blogs to pick up…

  273. Great site and thanks for the entertainment and info. you curated for us.

  274. I will miss coming to this web site, and thinking about the business side of music, and how transient the whole notion of rock art and celebrity is.

  275. And in closing, I would just like to add my sincere thanks to you Matt. Thanks!

  276. pressedufour

    Your site has been one of the very few I visited daily over the past several years. Thank you for all of your hard work, and in keeping our teenage selves informed of tours, new releases and old video clips. Will continue to catch Dark Wave! The children of the 80s thank you!

  277. I have to say, I’m fairly overwhelmed by the response here, and it means more to me than you can know. So thank you all so very much for taking the time to write. It’s so very appreciated.

    • 120seconds

      Matt, How’s the sticker inventory looking? Do I still have a shot at purchasing these on the cheap OR are they already on eBay selling for 10 times the price? Oh and my PayPal account wanted to ask what it might cost to convince you to keep this incredible site plugged in?

  278. Very sad but understandable. A sad subtraction from my daily routine. Thanks for the memories Matt.

  279. Thank you Matt. I checked-in every few weeks and was never disappointed.

  280. Well, looks like I’ll be the last to comment, so let me just say, Thanks Matt, for everything!

  281. Oh my God, noooooo….!!!!! What a huge loss for the Internet space! Matt, your truly exceptional site was one of the very few I’m visiting on a daily basis. Thank you for all the work over the last 6 years. You’ll be greatly missed forever and ever!
    Lots of love,
    Nancy

  282. will miss this site as this was the best music blog, thank you!

  283. Thanks. I really enjoyed your site for years. I’ll miss it.

  284. I will miss the site – truly enjoyed it.

  285. Thank you, Matt, from another quiet yet loyal fan of your site. I can’t remember how I found it – I think I was looking for info on Oingo Boingo (I keep hoping the boys will decide to do a reunion tour), and you had a link to a 1987 concert of theirs that a fan had uploaded. From that moment on, your site was my go-to source for info and updates on all things “Classic Alternative 80s”. Thank you again for providing this invaluable resource for so many years!

  286. Thank you for these great years!!!!! You will be missed!

  287. Matt, I unfortunately was living under a rock as I didn’t come upon your site until 2011. I’m so glad I did! Thank you for your time, your passion and your financial resources used in the labour of love. YOU MADE A DIFFERENCE! You helped me know that “living in the 80’s” via all the great music, well unto this new millenium was not crazy thing to do. I enjoyed the Mixtapes too. Thanks again for all you did! Will check the site once in a while just to reminisce. There is a light that never goes out…

  288. So sad that all good things must come to an end. Thanks seem inadequate for all of your hard work, but thank you all the same. I will definitely be missing the great articles and news that could be found here. Best of luck with your future projects and best wishes.

  289. Christian

    I was never too much into the idea that the Smiths should reunite. I just changed my mind ..

    I have the feeling that the 2013 poll of the best albums from the ’80s was the ultimate pinnacle of SUE. It couldn’t get much better than that ..

    .. so pulling the plug early enough (like The Jam and The Smiths did) will prove a wise decision in the long run.

    Thanks, Matt, for all your good work.

  290. I never get here as much as I should but when I do it makes me happy — until today.

    Sorry to see this place go, but understand. Many thanks.

    Anyone know of any similar blogs?

  291. Thanks for all your work, and best wishes for the future from another lowly blog!

  292. Thanks for all your hard work!

  293. Matt I just wanted to say thank you for the great work you put into this website, the slicing up eyeballs show on strangeways radio and on Dark Wave. I’m saddened that slicing up eyeballs is ending but I totally understand. After awhile a labor of love gets to be a burden and must be let go. The two radio shows you did reminded me of my favorite college rock radio station 97X out of oxford, ohio (Miami University). I used to spend many an hour listening to it growing up. I miss it everyday. Thanks again and I wish you the best in everything you do!

  294. Thanks for your hard work. One of my favourite places on the net to visit… you will be missed!

    Life’s too short. Please go and enjoy your free time again :)

  295. well thanks for nothing!

  296. naaa…just kidding. Gutted for sure!

  297. i just discovered this site a few months ago when i got a subscription to sirius and could listen to darkwave…wish i would have found it earlier! still glad for what i got though…thanks for what you did.

  298. i just discovered this site a few months ago when i got a subscription to sirius and could listen to darkwave…wish i would have found it earlier! still glad for what i got though…thanks for what you did.

  299. This outstanding site will be greatly missed. It has been an unparalleled source for information and nostalgia. Thank you for your years of dedication, Matt – you’ve earned your retirement.

  300. alan hansen

    kudos! thanks! all that jazz and more…

  301. This has been like a death. I still keep checking and hoping but know the reality. Thanks for all the work! I’ve been reading and enjoying this site for years.

  302. Aaaanywaaaay, just wanted to add one more word of thanks so, without any further ado, THANKS. Really.

  303. Thank-you, Matt! You will be sorely missed! You gave us “Island of Misfit” 80’s Alt-Music Toys a home here. You’re one-man-blog-athon for the past seven years has been very insightful, useful and entertaining. Thank-you immensely once again!

  304. Man, I know blogging/writing takes time.

    I can only say you will be missed Matt. I really enjoyed Slicing Up Eyeballs.

    I will only say, never say never. Sometimes a break is in order.

    We’ll see you again. All the best.

  305. I just checked in to see if Matt had changed his mind yet.

  306. Well, looks like everyone has had a chance to say goodbye so I’ll just go ahead and make this the LAST comment –
    Thanks Matt, great job, you will be missed.
    Okay then, looks like I made the last comment, so I guess that’s it for the comments, as I just made the last one on this site.

  307. Matt, I salute you. Keep the faith!

  308. o rly, nick?

  309. I’ll add to the chorus of “thank yous”. I’ve discovered so many artists I’ve never heard of thanks to you and this blog – especially at a point where I was getting a bit bored with what I knew to be out there. Good luck with everything in the future!

  310. pokethekat

    I refuse to remove slicing eyeballs from my favorite folders!!! The best music website…EVER. God rest.

  311. Many many thanks to you Matt for all your hard work over the years. As an expat Englishman living in Los Angeles for the past 14 years, you have been my first source for information about English bands playing over here and I cannot thank you enough for all you have done for so many fans in the US. You will be sorely missed but never forgotten, thank you so very much

  312. Thank you from the bottom of my Star Hits damaged heart!

  313. CaptMondo

    Let me add to the chorus of “thank yous” for your work on the site over the past few years. I only discovered the website in the past year or so and have been coming back regularly ever since.

    While it is a bit late, should you decide to ever pick up the reigns again and want some volunteers to help please ping me about that. (I worked as college radio DJ in the late 80s/early 90s and have some old playlists that I thought might have made for some good mix-tape selections).

    I understand the amount of work that goes into something like this, so kudos to you again for all of the hard work, which is much appreciated.

    Cheers from Toronto!

  314. Wait, what? Oh my gosh, can’t believe it. Well, looks like I’m the very, very, LAST person to post. Thanks Matt! What a great site, you’ll be missed.

  315. forkboy1965

    I’m only sorry I found the site too late… maybe a couple of years ago.

    I understand your feelings and respect that you’ve elected to call it quits. All good things must come to an end.

  316. Hi mate – shame to hear you’re ending S.U.E but yes when it becomes a solo effort it can take up an awful lot of time. As someone who spent most of his childhood in the 1980s decade, I stumbled across this site by accident barely four years ago (if that?) I think probably due to chasing some web search on either The CURE, New Order or Nine Inch Nails. I periodically returned every three weeks or so just to see what was happnin’ in the world of 80s-era music. The updates for new album and DVD releases (including Simple Minds’ latest LP) were brilliant (still waiting for Robert Smith to polish off the “Wish” and “In Orange” remasters for DVD though!) and I think I first saw the NIN comeback single “Came Back Haunted” (and associated video clip) here, along with bits from Gary Numan and The Church, etc. And not to mention following all the New Order/Joy Division/PH Light blather (still ongoing I dare say). Thanks again for all your work. It’s meant a lot to many music fans! All the best for your future endeavors too!

  317. Brian Friel

    Thanks so much for your hard work. One of my favorite stories was when a friend from the 80’s that I had lost touch with, who seemed to be one of the only people I know who still retained the passion for music we all seemed to have in our younger years, asked me “You ever heard of the Slicing Up Eyeballs website?” And, of course, I had/did, and our connection was renewed/solidified!

  318. Thanks for all you shared. As we ALL move farther away from the time when the music we loved was new – and closer to what my kids would call “retro” – I have loved all the notes and commentary. It was like getting a rolling stone magazine from 1986 every time I read.

    Thanks

  319. Hey! What’s all this? Can’t believe it. Gosh, looks like I’ll be the very last, and FINAL person to comment on the passing of this glorious outpost of College Rock reporting. Farewell Matt, and well done!

  320. It’s been a little while since I visited and I am saddened to see this post. And sorry, Nick, you’re not last now.

  321. Obviously Eye of the Tiger was the best song of 1982.. always amuses me when it comes on my random playlist whilst I’m at the gym.

    As a 43 yo Manc, this site has been incredibly awesome, many’s the time the mixtapes have accompanied an evening with friends. Thanks.

  322. I enjoyed this site a lot and often. Sad to see it go, but thanks and good luck.

  323. Shame. Is anyone willing to take up the mantle and carry on this site…please!

  324. Oh I give up. Thanks Matt, well done.

  325. Matt Walker

    thank you Matt. thank you.

    i have seen countless shows over the past couple of years as a direct result of this site and your ability to cull and post. i will miss this corner of the web and look forward to sunday evenings for your show. thanks for the time, dedication, and creativity – your work will be missed.

  326. Can’t believe how much I miss this. arggghhh! it was so good!

  327. thanks, bye.

  328. MICHAEL WARD

    Just a note of thanks. I realize how taxing maintaining the site was for all these years. Thank you for all your efforts. You provided me with a lot of reading enjoyment. Michael

  329. Thanks for all the hard work. 4,587 posts over 6 years averages to more than 2 posts per day. Thanks for sharing so much entertainment.

  330. Toil hard

    Obviously not been on this site for at least a month, but what can I say, whenever I did visit there was some great stuff, thanks for it all.

  331. Gonna miss your great reports and insight. If you get bored you know where to find us…

  332. thanksbye.

  333. 120seconds

    I won’t miss Nick.

  334. Thanks for everything.

    You will be missed.

  335. Yes. Last one to post! I told everyone.

  336. Bye.

    • I don’t know who you are or where you came from, but your brand of filth isn’t wanted here.

      thanksbye

  337. Thank you. I’ll have to dig deeper for the latest on PiL and The Church. Your work here will be missed.

  338. Any suggestions on who will carry the torch?

  339. late.

  340. william nothing

    Should I stop checking for your return?

  341. thanksbye

  342. Heck of a run. You’ll be missed.

  343. Mark Story

    Matt,
    Great site , brought me back to my college and post college 80s years. I still think the individuals and bands from the era do new music better than the new bands of today . Thank you !!!!!!!!!!!
    Mark Story SUNY Oswego Class of 1984

  344. Jeremy Palmer

    Guess I’ll start smoking pot again…

  345. Dean Moriarity

    I wondered why there was no Grateful Dead on this site…

  346. Too bad to see it go. Thank you.

  347. This is almost as bad as MTV canceling ‘120 Minutes’ for ‘Undressed’, or R.E.M. calling it quits….. I guess I’ll have to actually go to bands’ websites now for news on their current happenings now (The Cure, Patti Smith, Siouxsie, etc).

    I’m still crossing my fingers for a full American tour from The Cure, or maybe a Riot Fest with Siouxsie…

    Good luck….

  348. thanks and Goodbye

  349. Took this site for granted. Thanks for all the awesome info and hard work.
    Best wishes. :))

  350. just stopped by to check in. Can’t believe it. Thanks for the memories.

  351. Fantastic site. I came across it researching 80s music for a Young Adult novel I’m writing set in 1986. I didn’t want to rely on memory, and your site is a goldmine. Thanks for all the time you put into it.

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